Blade finishing machine



Filed May 28, 1946 H. T. NICHOLAS r BLADE FINISHING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. fiE/fdtt T Tail/Mom s BY @4244, 'FJMNMQM H. 'r. NICHOLAS BLADE FINISHING MACHINE July 5, 1949.

7 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1946 .w% mm mm m m m m #186517 fly/61101.4:

H. T. NICHOLAS BLADE FINISHING MACHINE July 5, 1949.

'7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 28, 1946 I r M m@ NICHOLAS BLADE FINISHING MACHINE July 5, 1949,

Filed May 28. 1.946

'7 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN T OR. flzeiaerf/wcmm 2 4%, @M, v% W25 July 5, 1949. H. T. NICHOLAS 2,475,455

BLADE FINISHING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN EN TOR. B fern-7 T MCI/01A Airman-K! y 1949- H. "r. NICHOLAS 2,475,455

BLADE FINISHING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Ear. 5

- IN VEN TOR. fiaeazcr ZW/c/mMs BY v 642246, ,1 hzim J y 5,1949. H. T. NICHOLAS 2,475,455

BLADE FINISHING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1946 7 Shee'ts-She et 7 i 58 I I E6. .9

mrmmsu Patented July 5, 1949 BLADE FINISHING MACHINE Herbert T. Nicholas, Huron, Ohio, assignor to Nicholas Equipment Company, Bellevue, Ohio,

a partnership Application May 28, 1946, Serial No. 672,869

18 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved blade finishing machine, such as an improved machine for grinding, polishing, or buffing knife blades or the like. The invention is also concerned with an improved machine for hollow grinding, buffing or polishing knife blades. Accordingly, these are the general objects of the present invention.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved blade finishing machine which will facilitate the finishing of the entire length of a blade including a relative straight portion and a curved portion adjacent the point, in one continuous operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved blade grinding machine which will be particularly well adapted for hollow grinding knife blades, and which machine will hollow grind, in one continuous operation, both the relatively straight portion of a blade and the relatively curved portion thereof adjacent the point.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for grinding knife blades which will hollow grind knife blades in such manner as to provide the desired blend line and width of concavity in one operation regardless of the contour of the blade to be ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a finishing machine for finishing knife blades, which machine may be quickly set up for blades of differing contours.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact machine which will simultaneously hollow grind or otherwise finish both sides of knife blades at a relatively high rate of speed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, reference being had to a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The essential and novel features of the invention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a knife blade grinding machine embodying this invention, certain portions of the mechanism being broken away to more clearly illustrate the internal construction thereof; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section as indicated by the lines 3-3 on Fig. 1 but illustrating the mechanism actively operating on a blade; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the lines 4-4 on Fig. 1 and illustrating a method of adjusting the grinding wheels; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail through the work holder supporting mechanism, the plane 5 of section being indicated by the lines 55 on Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail, the plane of which is indicated by the lines 66 on Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a diagram of the hydraulic operating mechanism and the mechanism used for controlling the operation thereof; and Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating modified forms of blade finishing mechanisms.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the improved knife blade grinding machine comprises an elongated base or table In provided with suitable legs II and I2 and cross bracing l4. Mounted above the table, and at the left hand side thereof, are a pair of blade finishing members such as the abrasive wheels [5 and I6. These wheels are mounted with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane and are spaced above the top of the table In. The right hand side of the table I0 is provided with a work holder 20 arranged to removably receive a workpiece, such as a knife blade B. During the finishing operation the finishing wheels l5 and [6 are spaced horizontally to rotate in a common vertical plane with their peripheries spaced apart a comparatively short distance. For grinding operations the desired distance between the grinding wheels is generally from about five to twenty thousandths of an inch. Thus a knife blade B which has been moved into position with the heel b of the blade between the two Wheels, as indicated in Fig. 3, will be finished as the blade is drawn across the bite of the wheels. Mechanism is provided to separate the finishing Wheels following the finishing operation so that an unfinished blade may freely pass between the wheels, from the full line position in Fig. 1, until the heel of the blade is positioned therebetween, as indicated by the dot and dash position B in Fig. 1. The mechanism then functions to return the finishing wheels to finishing position. whereupon the work holder 20 is moved. generally to the right to finish the flat portion of the blade and then continuing to the right while swinging the toe of the blade upwardly in a curved path to finish the curved or toe portion and the point of the blade.

The finishing wheels l5 and I6 are generally formed of or charged with an abrasive material. The particular formation and abrasive material being dependent upon the type of finishing operation to be performed. They may-comprise fabric buifing or polishing wheels, or as shown they may comprise abrasive grinding wheels. The grinding wheels I5 and 5 shown in with finishing or abrasive surfaces adapted for the type of finish desired, as for instance, grinding, buffing, polishing and the like.

The finishing wheels I and I6, of Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, comprise abrasive grinding wheels and are drivingly secured to the ends of respective shafts 2| and 22 which are journaled in bearings 23 carried by downwardly extending portions of respective spaced spindleand motor supporting arms 25 and 26. These arms are pivotally mounted on spaced horizontalshaftsi'l.and.28 supported by the main frame ID as will be hereinafter more fully described. The spindle and motor supporting arms 25 and 26 extend substantially vertically andare spaced apart a distance sufficient toenable'the-peripheries of the grinding wheels |5 and 16 to coacttohollow grind opposite faces of the blade B. The upper ends of the arms are connected by toggle links 29 and '30 with a vertically reciprocable slide 3| mounted intermediate the arms aswill be hereinafter more fully described. The arrangement of the slide and toggle links is such that, as the upper ends of the arms 25 and 26 are spread by the toggle action,'the lower ends thereof will approach each other to move thegrinding wheels to a grinding position as illustrated in Fig. 3. When, however, the toggle slide is moved downward, the toggle links assume the dotted line position of Fig. 3 moving the lower ends of the arms outward, thus separating the grinding wheels to enable a knife blade B to pass freely therebetween.

Each grinding wheel is independentlydriven. As shown in the drawings, particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3, each arm-25 and 26 carries a motor 32 the armature shaft of which is provided with a pulley 33. The pulleys 33 are drivingly connected by respective drive belts 35'with pulleys 34 on respective spindle shafts 2| or 22. At least one'of the motorpulleys 33 is connected to its spindle pulley 34 by a V-shaped driving belt, and one ofthese pulleys is of'the' type having a pair of discs movable toward or away from each other by a suitable mechanism contained Within the pulley hub '36. Thus the cutting speed of the wheels may be'readily synchronized. This type of variable speed pulley is generally well known at the present time and hence will not be illustrated or described in detaiPherein.

As heretofore'mentioned, the peripheries of the grinding wheels, when the wheels are in'their grinding positions, are spaced from'each other. For grinding operations this spacing is generally from five to twenty thousandths of an inch. To enable the position of the Wheels tobe adjusted toward and away from each other to compensate for wear on the grinding wheels, the pivot shafts 21 and 28 of the motor and spindle supporting arms are mounted for adjustment toward and away from each other. As shown in the drawings, the pivot shafts 21 and- 28 are'carried in the upper ends of respective brackets 31 and '38. These brackets are illustrated as being yokes, the lower ends of which are pivotally mounted on-shafts 39 carried by bearings 4fl'secured to the frame Ill. The upper ends of the brackets are provided with pivoted blocks 4| and- 42for receiving horizontally extending screws or r0ds 43 and 44 respectively. Theserods, as shown in Fig.4, are

vthreadingly mounted in a sleeve 5|.

connected by universal joints 45 with the output shaft 46 of a gear reduction unit mounted in a housing 41. This housing is secured to a platform 62 positioned intermediate the arms 25 and 26 and supported by spaced channels 63 which in turn are secured to the table ii]. The gear reduction unit comprises a worm gear 48 and an associated'worm 49 having-a manually operable hand wheel 50 (Figs. 1 and 3). Thus when the hand wheel 50 is turned, the lower ends of the arms 25 and 26 will be swung toward or away from each other as is desired to separate or bring the peripheries of the grinding wheels together.

The-grinding wheels are arranged to be centered relative to the work holder. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the left hand portion of the rod 43 is This sleeve is provided with an operating knob 52 and is rotatably' mounted in the block 4|. The sleeve 5| engages the block 4| sufliciently snug to prevent itsmoving under influence of the rotation of the rod 43, and is prevented from axial movement by a'setscrew 6| carried bythe block 4| and-engaging an annular groove formed in the periphery of the sleeve. Inasmuch as the spindle arm pivot shafts2land-28are locatedrelatively close to the grinding wheels liand l6, an extremely accurate adjustmentof the grinding wheels is possible.

The toggle links 2 '9 and 30, heretofore'mentioned, are pivotally mounted-on a toggle slide 3| 'and operate to movethe grinding wheels l5 and I6 toward and from each other. This slide is mounted in a vertical guide or way'54 carried by a vertically extendingframemember 55 which is secured to the platform: 62 and which extends upwardly therefrom. Theslide 3| is reciprocated inits guide-by a hydraulic' ram mechanism comprising a vertically extending cylinder 58 mounted on the platform 62 and provided with a piston 5|(Fig. '7) having a piston rod58 which is connected to the lower end of the slide. Thus as the piston is: reciprocated the grinding wheels are moved toward and from each other.

The toggle .links .29:and 3|I are so arranged that they are slightly past dead center when they are intheir uppermost position, at which time the grinding wheelsiare in the grinding position. This eliminates chattering of the grinding wheels. The upward movement of the toggle links is limited by a cross bar- 59 which extends across the guide 54 and-against which the links abut. The downward movement of the slide 3| is limited by albar .60 secured'to the top of 'the slide and arranged to engage the cross bar 59 on the guide. Apair of springs 64 maintain a constant inward pressure of the upper ends of the spindle frames.

The work holder 520 is best illustrated in'Figs. 1 and 2, as there shown it comprises an elongated bar 24 supported by a roller'=65 mounted'in a frame 66 carried-by the bed It! as will be hereinafter more fully described. The right hand end of the bar 24 is provided with an upwardly extending arm'61 which'carries a roller 68 adapted tocoact with a cam '69 to control the rocking movement of thebar during'the grinding or finishing of the curved surfaces and the point of the'blade. The bar 24 is maintained in contact withthe roller 65 and the cam 69 by a roller 10 carried by a link 1| pivotally mounted on the roller frame 66 as at 12 and urged into contact with the bar by a spring 13.

The workpiecesB are removably mounted on the left'hand end of the bar 24 and extend toward: the-grinding Wheelsl5 and' I6. Secured to the forward end of the bar is a bracket having a pair of spaced horizontal ears I6. These ears each carry a vertically extending pivot pin 11 which engages a work receiver 18. The work receiver i8 is provided with a pair of pins 19 to engage openings in the knife blade, and with a forwardly extending workpiece rest or clamp 80. Any suitable spring clamp may be used to retain the workpiece in position on the receiver. The pivot pins 11 permit a limited movement of the workpiece or blade about a vertical axis as the blade passes between the grinding or finishing wheels l5 and I8 thereby compensating for slight variations in the blade.

The work holder is reciprocated by a hydraulic mechanism to pass the blade B between the finishing wheels I5 and I6. This mechanism comprises a longitudinally extending hydraulic cylinder 8| provided with a piston 82 (Fig. 7) having a piston rod 83 to which a driving arm 93 is secured. This arm reciprocates a rod 86 as will be hereinafter more fully described. This rod is slidably mounted in the frame l0 and adjustably secured thereto is a fork 84. This fork extends upwardly through a slot 85 in the bed in of the machine and its upper end is provided with a slot indicated in the drawings at 81 through which the bar 2 3 extends. A pin 88 carried by and extending through the bar 24 cooperates with a transversely extending slot 89 in the fork and completes the driving connection between the fork and bar. Thus as the bar 24 is reciprocated it is free to swing up and down in the driving fork.

The follower cam 99, which controls the contour of the blade, comprises an elongated bar and is secured as by bolts 90 to the under side of a frame member 9|. A plurality of adjusting screws 92 are carried by the bar 9| and coact with the cam 89 to accurately maintain it in position.

The vertical position of the work holder and blade is controlled, in part, by the position of the roller 85. As shown in the drawings, particularly in Figs. 1 and 5, the roller 65 lies in a slot of the roller frame 86 and is rotatably mounted on a pin 95 carried by such frame. The frame 65 is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a roller frame guide 96 which is secured to the bed ID by bolts 91. The vertical position of the roller frame and its guide is controlled by a pair of adjusting bolts 98, one of which is threadingly mounted in a cap 99 of the frame 96 and engages the upper surface of the roller frame 69 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The other bolt 98 passes freely through the cap 99 and is secured to the frame and is provided with a nut Hill to limit the downward movement of the frame while the other bolt limits the upward movement thereof.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. l, and the grinding or finishing wheels 5 and I5 separated as indicated by the dot and dash line positions on Fig. 3, the mechanism is placed in operation by the movement of a handle I26, by the operator. As hereinafter more fully described, this operation renders the hydraulic mechanism active, whereupon fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder 8| to cause the blade to move between the two finishing or grindin wheels I5 and I6 until the heel b of the blade is between the two wheels, whereupon the vertical or toggle operating cylinder 56 becomes active to cause the finishing or grinding Wheels to move toward each other and into finishing or grinding contact with the blade B. The cylinder 8| then becomes active.

The initial action of the cylinder 8| has no effect upon the work holder due to a. lost motion connection between the driving arm 93 and the slide rod 86. This provides a time interval during which the finishing or grinding wheels act on the blade to insure proper finishing or grinding of the heel of the blade. This lost motion connection is best illustrated in Fig. 1. As there illustrated, the arm 93 has a sliding connection with the rod 86 and is interposed between an adjustable collar 94 carried by the rod and the fork 84 which is also adjustably secured to the rod. When the cylinder 8| is actuated to move the blade to the left to position the blade with its heel 1) between the finishing or grinding wheels, the arm 93 coacts with the collar 94. When the cylinder 8| becomes active to move its piston rod toward the right, the arm 93 moves from engagement with the collar 94 into engagement with the fork 84 before the movement of the piston is imparted to the slide rod 86 or the work holder 20. This provides a brief interval of time after the finishing or grinding wheels have moved into finishing or grinding position during which interval the blade remains stationary. This insures complete finishing or grinding of the heel of the blade.

After the heel of the blade has been fully ground or finished the arm 93 contacts the fork 84 and moves the work holder 20 toward the right (Fig. 1), the workpiece moving under control of the cam 69 so that the entire blade is ground or finished evenly, the contour of its finished or ground edge being controlled by this cam. When the grinding or finishing operation is completed the rate of travel of the blade is rapidly increased as it is drawn from the finishing wheels to facilitate its replacement by a fresh blade, and as the finished blade reaches the end of its withdrawing stroke a control valve is operated to release the fluid pressure thereby stopping the mechanism to enable the operator to substitute a new blade.

The hydraulic mechanism is best illustrated in Fig. 7. As there shown a fluid pressure pump H35 draws fluid from a reservoir I96 and forces it through a conduit I8! to a main control valve I08. Fluid under pressure passes from the valve I98 through a pressure line I89 to a reversing valve I I8 which controls the flow of fluid to the cylinder 8| to actuate the work holder. Likewise, fluid under pressure flows from the main control valve I08 through a conduit I I I to a reversing valve H2 which controls the flow of fluid to the cylinder 56, which controls the positioning of the grinding or finishing Wheels. Fluid exhausting from the cylinder 8| passes from the reversing valve H6 through a conduit 3 to a control or regulating valve H4, and thence through conduit H5 to the storage reservoir. Fluid passing from the cylinder 58 passes through its reversing valve I I? to a, control or regulating valve IIS which is also connected with the discharge conduit H5.

The main control valve I08 is of a type which establishes communication between the pressure line I07 and the reservoir I06 thus releasing the pressure in the system. This valve is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7 as comprising a housing provided with a valve port II8 which is normally closed by a spring pressed valve member II9. Thus normally fluid under pressure flows through the valve member to the pressure conduits I89 andlll. However, when the valve .7 member: I I 9. isdepressed-theifluidzescapesthrough the conduit I I5 to.thereservoir;l06.

.The .valve member 59 actuated my a i'beli crankizfl-pivoted to theiframaasiat Ir2l. This crankis arrangedto be 'en a edby a pain I122 adjustablymounted on .a bar J23. This:bar is slidably mounted in brackets -.l I'Lcarriedzbwthe table J and .is actuated by an arm :MA :of :the driving .fork 8.4 :heretofore :described. As ithe fork 8,4 approaches the end of its blade .withdrawing stroke,.itgengagesran; adjustable stop I214 carried by the bar I23, {moving the bar to 213116 left .(Figs. '2 and .7) v I-hismovement of the .bar actuates the bell crank {I20 and 1 causes :it ito idepress the valve member I L9 of .the.'contro1 valve I 08, thus'releasin g thefluidpressuredn the system and stopping the-hydraulic mechanism.

-After, afolade to belfinished is placedinitheiwork holder .20, the -,operat.0.r rstarts the hydraulic m-echanismby: actuating-the; lever 26. Thisfilever ispivoted on a transverse .pivotii2=l carriedabythe bell crank 120 and .is normallyrheld in position'to be engaged by Ethe stop or cam .I 22 1by.-a spring I28 (Fig.2). Thaoperatonby rasping the lever I20 and rocking ,it about its pivot 12 from it fromiengagement with the 10am I12, whereupon the spring gpIBSSBd valve member 'I I9 .closes the valve port II8. :Accordingly, fluid .pressure is applied tothe-reversing valves l I10=and I' I 2. This application of :fluid {pressure has no 1 efiect :upon the piston,--'Iras it'isrin its;lower;position at-this time. Ho-wevenrthereversing valvezl I0 is so positioned that .fiuid ,pressure :iS .applied to the lright hand end .Of 'the,piStOnl82 moving it to the left (-Figs. 1 and 7).. this :piston reachesthe left hand limit of 'its stroke, :the arm 1134A, .of the driving, for-k581i heretofore mentioned; engages an adjustable lstop 124A carried eby .the bar I 23 and moves thebar tortheleft. flhismovementof the bar changes the, position of the reversing-valve I I 2 whereuponv fluid. pressure iflows through the conduit {I3 I to -the;lower. end ofthe: cylinder 56, thus forcing iits piston .51 upwardly.

The movement of .the piston 51 controls the reversing .valve I;I.0 for:the oylinder fll. As illustrated in Fig. 3 the toggle slideEI, which is connected to the pistonr'S'l-by the-pistonrod 58, carries arodrItZ. This vvrodis provided-with a pair of spaced adjustable :stops :I33 .and I 34 which are arrangedstdengage and actuate-the control lever I35 of the reversing valve H0. 'Thus, as the piston 5i risestothe upper limit-ofitsstroke, the finishing wheels .I5 and .I 6 are brought together and the stop A134 .acts .on the valve 1 I0 to cause a reversal .Of'lthe flow. of-fiuid.to the cylinderifll whereupon thepistomH-oflsuch y r moves =.toward theright :(Figs. 1 andq2) causing the workpiece to be .drawnto the "right between the coacting finishing wheels vI5 :and I6.

The regulatingavalves H4 and III; are placed in the exhaust lines of respectivereversing valves Iii) and H2 and serve to regulate the .rate of travel of the pistons 5.! and182by controllingthe back pressures thereon. To this end each valve includesa needle .valve controlledby a manually operable knob I31.

The regulatingvalve H4 is arranged to.permit a comparatively rapid movement ,of the work holder when thefinishin wheels are not operating on a knifeblade. As illustrated the valve I I4 is provided'with a spring pressed valve member I E0 which normally. closesa port I4 I between its inlet and outlet passages. --As soon as the blade clears .the ffinishin \wheels :an adjustable stop 8450fthe-zdriving for/k. 8A. .Gontinuedvmovement of the :fork carrieslthe :bar I 4.3 to the right causins iititoicam the valve member J to.an open position, thus increasing the rate offlow of :exhausting-fluid from the cylinder -;8I through the regulating valve. ZIhe'valve I40 remains :open until the workholder 'h&S'mQVfid1tO the left (to bringan unfinished ,blade almostto the:finishin g position, whereupon; av secondstop IM :adjustably mountedron the bar -I ;4;3 is engaged; by the: driving fork :arm 184B -,withdrawing the ;bar (and freeing the'valve member I40 thereby-slowing-the movement of ithe -,work holder to theidesired finishing speed.

'As heretofore :mentioned I :may :use endless flexiblebands 15a and =I=Iia in place'ofthe'finishing wheelsrliand I6. ;Such bands-arepreferably the .same width as ithat of ithe -.Wheels and are arranged zto :be moved :toward :and from .each other .in substantially the same manner as heretofore describedin connection with the finishing Wheels I5uand :Ifi. iflhese :bands;may be provided with work finishing surfaces commensurate with the stypeof operation to he performed, polishing, buffing; grindingyor t'he;like.

:In Fig-18 Iihave shown aimodifieation-using-a pair xof :flexible bands 15a .and ;I;6a. This construction is similar to that heretofore '.,described and is particularly .well adaptedior-usein hollow grinding, bufiing, polishing-andthe like. IIhe bands a and Ilia are .each shown as being mounted on respective spindle supporting arms 25 and 26. Each-band is looped about a,.pair.of wheels or drums I and I5I. Thedrums 15.0 are mounted on the respectivesspindlell. or .2r2,.while the drums .I5I are mounted adjacent the upper endwof' thespindleiarm 25 or .26. The drums vl5l are journaled on .spindles l52carried by blocks I5,3-slidab ly mounted in \ways [54 formed in .the respective :lbrackets. Springs I55 .act -on the blocks r I53 to maintain the. bands tight. Suitable means, not shown, maybe provided vto control thetension-of .the bands. Thebands aredriven byithedrums -.I.5,0, which in turn are driven as heretoforadescribed in connection with the finishing wheels L5 and I 6.

.In Fig.9 I ,haveshownthe mechanism adapted for utilizing abrasive v.coacted endless bands 'instead.of the finishing Wheels .I5 and I6. 'This arrangement .is particularly adapted for other than hollow finishing operations. Basically "the mechanism .is substantially the same .:as that heretofonedescribed. .However, in this 'form of the invention, the finishing .bands I5a.and "I'Ga areeachlooDedabQut a pair of pulleys or drums I .and I6! which are supported'by relatively stationary .frame members, and .the coacting stretches of the bands ar.e.move'd,into and out of the ,path of the workpiece by, shoes E63 and IE4 carried by respective. arms 25 .and'26.

'Intheconstruction shown in'Fig. Stile-spindles ZIaandZZa are mounted on supports I65 which are secured to the frame [-0. Each spindle-is provided with a wheel or drum I 60 "about which the lower end of the respective abrasive bands 'I5a or IGa 'is looped. The upper ends of thesebands are looped-about respective drums I6I :which are :mounted :on spindles IBS carried :in blocks .16! mounted in 'guideways I-;68.1formed in stationary frame members LE9. Springs I510 act on :the blocks :16! to irtensionithe bands. Thezspindlesz zlasand i iauare driven :by motors 32a which :are .--s,ecured :to the iframe 0 and:which =arerdrivingly :connected 'mrithsthe spindles as :heretofore :described ;.in rconnection with the motors 32. In this form of the invention the lower ends of the arms 25 and 26 are provided with removable shoes I63, I64 which engage the coacting stretches I15 of the abrasive bands I511, lfia and move such stretches toward and away from each other to bring them into and out of engagement with a blade B. In this construction the contour of the finished surface of the blade depends upon the contour of the shoes I63, I64.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a compact mechanism for finishing opposite faces of a knife blade in one operation and I have arranged the mechanism to facilitate the finishing of difierent types of blades with a minimum change. The apparatus is also so arranged and controlled as to accurately finish the curved surface of the blade and the point without danger of rounding the point. Likewise it will be seen that the apparatus may be radially adapted for either hollow or flat blade grinding or finishing operations.

I claim:

1. In a blade finishing machine a pair of abrasive finishing members, hydraulic operating means to move said abrasive members so that their coacting surfaces move to and from each other, a work holder mounted for movement to and from the members in a direction parallel with the coacting surfaces of said members, hydraulic means to reciprocate said work holder, and means including a reversing valve controlled by the operation of the work holder for controlling the flow of fluid to the first named hydraulic means, and means including a second reversing valve controlled by the actuation of the abrasive member operating means for controlling the flow of fluid to the second named hydraulic means.

2. In a blade finishing machine a pair of blade finishing members, hydraulic operating means to move said members toward and from each other, a Work holder reciprocally mounted for movement to and from the bite of the members, hydraulic mechanism to reciprocate said work holder, and means including a reversing valve controlled by the operation of the work holder for controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic means, means including a second reversing valve controlled by the actuation of the member operating means for controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic mechanism, and regulating valves associated respectively with said hydraulic means and said hydraulic mechanism to regulate the flow of fluid therefrom.

3. In a knife blade finishing machine, a pair of abrasive members, means supporting said members for movement to cause their abrasive surfaces to move toward and away from each other, means including a hydraulic cylinder and piston to move said members, a work holder movable to and from the abrasive members in a direction substantially parallel with the abrasive surfaces thereof, a hydraulic cylinder and piston for moving said work holder, fluid pressure means, fluid conduits between said pressure means and said hydraulic cylinders, means including a fluid pressure reversing valve in the conduit between the pressure means and the first-named cylinder actuated by the work holder mechanism to control the flow of fluid to and from the first named cylinder, and a second reversing valve in the conduit between the pressure means and the second named hydraulic cylinder actuated by the abrasive member moving means to control the flow of fluid to and from the second named hydraulic cylinder, a discharge conduit connected with said reversing valves, a regulating valve interposed between each reversing valve and said discharge conduit to control the flow of fluid being discharged from their respective cylinders, and means actuatable by the movement of the work holder to actuate the regulating valve for the last named reversing valve to increase the flow of fluid from its respective cylinder when the workpiece is withdrawn from coaction with said abrasive members and to render said regulating valve active to decrease the flow of fluid when the workpiece has been fully inserted between said abrasive members.

4. A blade finishing machine comprising a pair of peripherally. coacting finishing members, means including a toggle mechanism to move the members toward and from each other into and out of finishing position, said means being arranged to lock said toggle when the members have been moved into finishing position, a work holder, means to move the work holder to pass a workpiece between said members while said members are spaced and to withdraw the workpiece across the bite of said members while the members are in finishing position, power means to operate both of said means, means actuated by the first named means to control the application of said power means to the second named means, means actuated by the second named means to control the application of the power means to the first named'means, and means to rock the work holder toward the bite of said members during the finishing operation.

5. In a blade finishing machine, a pair of finish ing wheels mounted withtheir axes in substantially the same horizontal plane and arranged to have their peripheries simultaneously act on a workpiece, a'pair of pivoted member for supporting respective wheels, a slide,'links interconnecting said slide with respective pivoted mem bers, means to reciprocate the slide to cause the members to swing about their pivots to thereby move the periphery of the finishing wheels toward and away from each other, a work holder mounted movably, means to move the work holder to move a workpiece between the separated wheels into finishing position and to withdraw the workpiece past the wheels after they have been moved toward each other into finishing position, and means to swing the workpiece toward the bite of said wheels during the finishing operation to conform the finishing to a curved contour of the blade.

6. In a knife blade grinding machine, a frame including an elongated bed, a blade finishing mechanism mounted in one end of said bed and including a pair of members having abrasive surfaces arranged to be simultaneously moved across a blade passed between them in a direction substantially parallel with their abrasive surfaces, a work holder mounted at the other end of the machine and movable toward and from said members in a direction substantially parallel with their coacting abrasive surfaces and in alignment with their bite, said finishing mechanismincluding a pair of brackets mounted on spaced pivots for movement about axes substantially parallel to the plane of movement of said work holder, said brackets extending upwardly from said frame, means interconnecting said brackets to move the upper ends of the brackets toward and away from each other simultaneously, means to move one bracket toward the other bracket independent of the movement of the other bracket, a pair of abra- 1 1 sive member suppor-ting 'arms'rpivotally mounted intermediate their ends? to" the upper ends of re spective brackets and extending in a substantially vertical direction; a motor :arrled'ibyeach arm and drivingly connected with its respective abrasive member to move theiabrasivesurface thereof across a blade, and-a toggle mechanism connected to the upper ends of said'arms to-simultaneously move the arms about" their pivots to cause the abrasive surfaces-of said members'to move'toward and away from eachother."

7. In a knife blade finishing machine', an abrasive blade finishing member, means to move a workpiece across the surfacetof: saidimember in a plane substantially parallel with such surface, said. means including a Work: holder comprising a ban, means supporting said bar intermediate its ends for reciprocating: ands rocking movements, anelongated cam, means' carriedbysaid'bar adjacent one endthereof'to ooaotiwith said cam, and resilient means-coacting'withthe'other endiof the bar to hold the bar incontactfwithrsaid supporting meansand said-cam;

8: In: a knife blade'finishing', machine, a blade finishing member; means to move a workpiece across the face of said: finishing member, said means including arwork holder, a bar supporting said:work holder, aroller supportingsaid" bar intermediateits ends-,.a cam=to control the swinging movement of said banabouti said roller, resilient means coacting:to: hold the bar in contact with-the roller, a pivotal connectionbetween said bar and:saidvwork holder tovper-mit 'alimited pivotal movement of said work:hold'en relative'to the Maine plane transverse toxtheplane'z in which it swing-s about said roller, and meanstoreciprocate the bar;

9. In a: knife blade 'finishing machine, a frame; a pair of coacting blade finishing members mounted thereon, means to" draw a knife blade substantially horizontally across the I bite of said members to'finish said blade; said means includinga vertically extending guideway mounted-on said frame, a carriage mountedin' said guideway for vertical movement, means'to'adjust the position ofsaid'carriage in said -.guideway, a bar supported intermediate its endsby said carriage for movement towardzandiromthe bite of-- said mem bers and for swinging movement in a substantially vertical plane-parallel withthabite of said members, an-elongated; cam, a roller on-said bar to coact with saidcam, resilient means to retain the-bar in contact with said carriage: andsaid roller in contact with said cam, meanstomove said bar toward and 4 from the bite: ofsaid members; a-work holder, a pivotal-connection-between one end of said work holden and said bar, the axis of said pivot extending. in a substantially vertical direction, and means at the other endof saidwork holder for supporting a workpiece.

10. In a knife blade grindingmachine, a frame including-an elongatedlbed, azgrinding mechanism mounted in one end i of said. bed and including a pair of grinding wheels having their peripheries arranged to simultaneously act on ablade passed between them in a directiomsubstantially parallel withtheir axes, a work holder mounted at the other end of the machine: and. movable toward: and from saidwheels in adireotionlsubstantiallyparallel with their axes-and inzalignmentwith their bite, said grinding mechanism including a pair of brackets mounted on spaced. pivots. for movement about axes substantiallyparallelto the. plane of movement of said work. holder, said? brackets extending upwardly. from: said. frame;

means I interconnecting said brackets t'o move the upper-ends of the brackets'toward and awayfrom each: other simultaneously, means to move one bracket toward'the other bracket independent of the movement of the other bracket, a pair of grinding wheel supporting a r m's pivotally mounted intermediate their ends to the upper ends'of' respective brackets and extending in a substantially vertical direction, said grinding wheels being mounted on the lower ends of respective arms'with their axes substantially parallel with the first named axes, a motor carriedby each arm and drivingly connectedwith its-respective grinding wheel, and atogglemechanismconnected tothe upper ends of said arms to simultaneously move the arms about their pivots to cause the periphery of the grinding wheels to move towardand'away'from each other.

11'; In a' knife blade finishing machine, a frame including an elongated bed; a finishing mechanism mounted in one end'of said bed and including a pair of wheels, a pair of endless abrasive coated belts, one end. of each'belt being looped about a respective wheel; means to tension said belts, saidbelts being arranged so that the abrasive surfaces of a portion of the belts extending about the respective wheels coact to simultaneously act on a blade passed between such surfaces in a direction substantially parallel With' the axes of said Wheels, a' work holder mounted at the other end of the machineand movable toward andfrom saidwheels in a direction substantially parallel with their axes and in alignment with their'bite, said finishing mechanism including a pair of brackets-mounted on spacedpivots'for movement about axes'-substantially parallel" to the plane of movement of said Work holder, said brackets extending upwardly from= said frame, means interconnecting said brackets to move'theupper ends of the brackets toward and away from eachother'simultaneously; means tomove one bracket toward the other bracket independent of the movement of the other bracket, a pair of belt supporting arms pivotallymounted intermediate their ends to the upperendsof respective brackets and extending in: a substantially vertical direction, said belt supporting wheels being mounted on the lower endsof respective'arms with theira-xes substantially parallel-'with the first namedaxes, amotor' carried byeach arm-and drivingly-connected with its respective belt: supporting wheel; and a toggle mechanism-connected to the upper ends of said arms to simultaneously move the arms about their pivotsto cause the coacting portions of the surfacesof'the belts to move toward and awayfrom each-other.

12. In aknife blade finishing machine, a pairof' coacting abrasive members, a pair of pivoted arms carrying said members, power operated means to move said arms about their pivots-to separate the abrasive surfaces ofthe said-members and to move. the abrasive surfaces ofsuch members. towards each other, a workholder mounted-for reciprocation in a direction substantially parallel. with the coacting abrasive sur-- of the workholder a predetermined distance in another direction.

13. In a knife blade finishing machine, a pair of coacting abrasive surfaced finishing wheels, a pair of pivoted arms carrying said wheels, power operated means to move said arms about their pivots to separate the peripheries of the finishing wheels and to move the peripheries of such wheels towards each other, a workholder mounted for movement toward and away from the bite of said wheels to draw a blade across the bite thereof, power operated means to move said workholder, means actuatable by the said last named power operated means to cause said first named power operated means to move said arms and separate said wheels consequent upon the movement of said workholder a predetermined distance in a direction away from the bite of said wheels and to move said wheels toward each other consequent upon the movement of said workholder a predetermined distance in a direction toward the bite of said wheels, and means whereby said distances may be selectively predetermined.

14. In a blade finishing machine. a pair of coacting blade finishing wheels, a workholder, power operated means to move said wheels toward each other to engage a workpiece carried by said workholder and to move said wheels away from each other out of engagement with the workpiece, power operated means to move the workholder to cause a blade to pass between the wheels until the heel of the edge of the blade is positioned between the wheels, power operated means under control of said first named means to move said wheels together consequent upon the positioning of the heel of said blade, means to cause a pause in the movement of the workholder after the blade wheels have moved into contact with the heel of the blade to thereby insure complete finishing of the heel of the blade, and controlled by said second named power operated means to thereafter reverse the direction of movement of said workholder to cause the workholder to draw the blade across the bite of the wheels to finish the edge of the blade.

15. In a knife blade grinding machine a pair of grinding wheels arranged so that their peripheries simultaneously grind opposite sides of a blade as the blade is moved in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the wheels, a workholder, power operated means to move the workholder to cause the blade to move into and out of contact with said wheels, power operated means to separate said wheels, control means responsive to the position of the workholder to cause said last named means to become active to cause the separation of said wheels when the workholder has moved a workpiece out of contact I therewith and to bring said wheels together to a grinding position after the workpiece has been fully inserted between the wheels, a manually resettable means acting automatically to stop the movement of the workholder operating means when a workpiece is fully withdrawn from contact with the wheels, and operating means responsive to the position of said workholder to cause said resettable means to become active.

16. In a knife blade finishing machine, a pair of looped abrasive belts, means to mount said belts with a stretch of each belt facing but spaced from a corresponding stretch of the other belt, resilient means to tension each belt, a pair of pivoted arms, means carried by said arms to engage said belt stretches, power operated means adapted to move said arms about said pivots and move said belt stretches toward and away from each other, a workholder mounted for reciprocation in a direction parallel with the surfaces of the coacting stretches of said belts, power oper ated means to reciprocate said workholder, means actuated by said last named power operated means to control the operation of said first named power operated means, and means actuated by said first named power operated means to control the operation of said second named power operated means.

17. A machine of the character described, comprising a pair of movable abrasive members, operating means to move the members toward and from each other, control means for said operating means, a workholder, operating means to move the workholder toward and from said members to cause the work to move into and out of contact therewith, a control means for said last named operating means, means actuated by the movement of the workholder away from said members to operate the first named control means to cause said members to separate, means actuated by the movement of the workholder towards said members to operate said first named control means to cause said members to approach each other, and means actuated by said first named operating means consequent upon the movement of said members a predetermined distance toward or away from each other to actuate said second named control means.

18. In a machine of the character described, a pair of movably mounted abrasive members, power operated means to move said members toward and away from each other, a workholder movable to and from said abrasive surfaces in a direction substantially parallel with the abrasive surfaces thereof, reciprocable means for actuating said workholder, power operated means for operating said reciprocable means, control means actuated by said reciprocable means to control the operation of said first named power operated means, a control means actuated by said first named power operated means to control the operation of said second named power operated means, a common source of power for said power operated means, and a manually resettable means actuated by said reciprocable member to stop the application of power to both of said power operated means.

HERBERT T. NICHOLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 736,939 Cole Aug. 25, 1903 747,428 Hubbuck Dec. 22, 1903 851,057 Blasberg Apr. 23, 1907 1,175,332 Aubrey Mar. 14, 1916 1,440,386 I-Iawe's Jan. 2, 1923 1,495,738 Hemming May 27, 1924 1,519,661 Brix Dec. 16, 1924 1,662,679 Kessel Mar. 13, 1928 2,060,197 Greenbaum Nov. 10, 1936 2,098,283 Ern Nov. 9, 1937 2,269,311 Johnson Jan. 6, 1942 2,276,059 Moon Mar. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 815 Sweden Apr. 24, 1886 16,044 Great Britain A. D. 1893 

